First Kiss
by Grinning Reaper
Summary: A cute funny fic! Selphie has turned ten and the gang is playing truth or dare when...Irvine dares Seifer to do the UNTHINKABLE!! Seifer and Zell pairing so that means SLASH!! Plz r&r!! Fanks! NEW CH. UP!! SLASHY FLUFFINESS!! SMEG!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I've run out of clever ways to say that I don't own squat.  
  
Grinning Reaper: Yah, this is my first what might be seriously on going Slash amongst Knights And Their Chicken-Wusses. As a minor side note before we begin...Yah. I am aware that most of the gang wasn't around the orphanage at the age of ten but pretend with me okay?!? Fank yoos! ;)  
  
First Kiss  
  
  
  
"Seifer." Irvine said at last. "Truth or Dare?" It was Selphie's tenth birthday and the 'gang' was locked up in her room playing games. Seifer gave Irvine a disgusted look. Like Irvine had to ASK which one he'd choose.  
  
"Dare." The lanky boy said as if it were the only choice. Irvine rubbed his chin thoughtfully (and thought to himself that this action would look a lot cooler if he had a beard.) He had to think of a really good dare. Something that by absolutely no means even Seifer would do. (And if he did he would be a laughing stock!) Irvine thought and finally decided on a good enough dare. But he needed a victim. Someone who was oblivious, someone who would embarrasses Seifer to no end. Irvine's green eyes gazed around the room...and finally rested on his target. A pair of long thin legs propped up on a wall and a golden head buried in a comic book.  
  
"I dare you to kiss Zell." Irvine said at last. Seifer leapt up out of his chair.  
  
"WHAT?!? That's NUTS!" Zell, who had heard his name looked up from his Ifrit Man comic book. (It was one of the older issues, the old Ifrit Man didn't look as cool and young as the new one but it was still pretty good.)  
  
"Huh?" He sat up. "Kiss me?? EW!!"  
  
"It's Truth or Dare." Irvine said matter-of-factly. "Ya gotta do it." He said standing so he and Seifer were eye to eye.  
  
"Yeah." Voiced Squall. Quistis bit her lower lip.  
  
"That is kinda unfair though." Irvine gave Quistis a nasty look and turned a sweeter gaze on Selphie.  
  
"You're the birthday girl. You decide." He said grinning his gap toothed grin and trying his best to convince the petite child with his eyes. Selphie looked thoughtful for a moment and twiddled a strand of hair around her finger.  
  
"Okay." She decreed at last, grinning widely. Irvine whooped for joy. Being handsome DID help you out after all!  
  
"I'm not doin' it." Seifer said scowling terribly and crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"Yeah, me too! No way! Uh-uh! Not in a lifetime! Not ever! YUCK!" Zell agreed. Seifer glowered at him.  
  
"Stay outta this baby." Zell stomped a slender bare foot and gave Seifer what would have been a glower that was much more murderous save for the fact that it looked rather like a pout.  
  
"I am NOT a baby you big stupid....ASS!" Zell nearly shouted using a word he had heard an actor use on TV.  
  
"I'm tellin' Matron you said a bad word!" Quisits gasped, her saucer blue eyes widening. Zell pouted a bit and crossed his arms sullenly.  
  
"Will not!" He returned.  
  
"Will to!"  
  
"Waaaaait a second here!" Irvine waved his arms, silencing the two blondes before their argument could go any further.  
  
"Seifer if you won't do it you a coward!" Squall said suddenly, knowing just the right words to say to get his rival started.  
  
"I am not!" Seifer objected, outraged.  
  
"Then why won't you do it?" Squall asked, a tiny, rare smile playing on the boy's face. "Coward." Seifer sulked for a few moments and fumed silently under his breath.  
  
"Okay I'll do it." Seifer said at last.  
  
"Wh-wh-WHAT!?!" Zell shrieked.  
  
"But only to prove that I'm not a coward or anything." Seifer said over the din that Zell was creating. The smaller of the two boys made a mad dash for the half open door.  
  
"Get him!" Irvine shouted, lunging for Zell's slender frame. After several long minutes, Irvine and Squall managed to wrestle a failing Zell in to a chair, and Squall was taught the pain of being kicked in the groin.  
  
"I dun wanna do it. Irvine do I hafta?" Zell asked looking up at his tormenter with wide blue eyes and a quivering lower lip. Zell was quite aware that his patented 'puppy face' was often what got him out of scrapes.  
  
"Yes you do." Irvine said tightening his grip on Zell's arms. Darn it. He must not have looked pathetic enough. Zell sighed and hung his head. His fate was sealed. Seifer shuffled over so he was standing in front of Zell, looking as if he was about to hit every last person in the room in the mouth. Quistis and Selphie gathered around them also.  
  
"Go on." Giggled Selphie, giving Seifer a slight push. "Do it."  
  
"I'm gonna! I'm only doin' this because it's your birthday y'know." Seifer shot back.  
  
"Yeah I know." Selphie said giggling still. "Men." She said to Quistis, shaking her head. After what was much hesitating and struggling, Seifer bent over and gave Zell a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth.  
  
"Hey that isn't fair! It's gotta be longer than that!" Squall protested deciding that if his anatomy was going to suffer than so was Seifer.  
  
"Yeah." Irvine piped up. "Ten seconds. Selphie and Quistis you count. Oh, and it has to be one the *mouth* not just part of it." Zell began to call Irvine and ass but decided that that might not be a good idea because Quistis really would tell this time and if she told the he would really be in- Zell's entire train of rambling, tumbling thought was stopped when Seifer, darted forward and kissed him again, his eyes scrunched tightly shut. Zell blinked his eyes a few times then did the proper thing and shut them. Was it just him or were Selphie and Quistis counting unusually slow? It actually wasn't as bad as he expected it to be, even though he was perfectly aware that he was wasting his first kiss on Seifer. Still...it was actually kind of nice.  
  
"Nine Chicobo...TEN Chocobo!" Selphie and Quistis chanted at last. Seifer and Zell practically jumped apart and both began wiping their mouths.  
  
"I'm goin' down stairs, this game is for babies anyway." A red cheeked Seifer said turning on heel.  
  
"Yeah." Agreed Zell flopping back on to the bed and picking up his abandoned comic book. He pulled the Ifrit man book up over his face to hide the tiny smile that was on it.  
  
"Hey Squall," Selphie said. "Truth or Dare?"  
  
  
  
Grinning Reaper: Yeah well that's the end of it. Whaddaya think? Should they kiss again? Should I draw it out more? Should I stop asking these questions and get to writing the next chapter?? Questions comments and requests are welcome. Reviews are cherished. ::hint hint wink wink:: Oh, by the way happy Thanksgiving! 


	2. Learning to Like Licorice

Disclaimer: Okay you know what? I OWN THIS HAHAHAHAH!  
  
Seifer: No you don't...idiot...  
  
Grinning Reaper: Wow! I was surprised at the response I got for the first chapter! Thank you for everyone who reviewed especially those who support this fic even though they don't like Slash Amongst Knights And Their Chicken-Wusses! Thank you sooooooooooo much!  
  
Squall: Okay can we continue?  
  
Grinning Reaper: ::sighs:: Yeah okay.  
  
  
  
Learning to Like Licorice  
  
  
  
Zell tipped his head back and stared in awe at the open velvet black sky. It was such a pretty night. He gazed out at the shoreline and dug his toes into the sand as the surf curled around them. He was well aware that he should be in bed right now. It was very late and it was against the rules to be out side at this hour. But still, as Zell often did he felt called to go to his 'thinking spot' when he couldn't sleep. It was a perfect tiny thatch of sand near a rock on the beach that was just a short walk away from the orphanage. He shut his eyes and smiled as a warm breeze blew on his face. He opened his eyes after sometime and looked around for the packet of jellybeans that was resting by his little lantern. Matron only fed them healthy food so it was a wonder whenever they got any candy. He opened the package and carefully sorted out his favorite flavors and his least favorite and set to eating them. The cinnamon was first of course.  
  
Now that he thought of it they came from the goody bags at Selphie's birthday party. He felt his face heat up slightly remembering that fateful dare that had been troubling him lately. Zell picked up a stick and began to doodle in the sand with it, lost in thought. Okay, so he had kind of been feeling funny since Seifer kissed him even though that was nearly three weeks ago, he got all dizzy and floaty when he was around. Zell had figured that he must have been embarrassed about it still. And it was true that he liked the kiss. But wasn't it natural for someone to like being kissed? Zell looked down at the sand and felt his face get even redder. In the sand were etched a group of little hearts and squiggly lines...and an 'S' or two. Zell quickly erased the mural both shocked and embarrassed. Did...did that mean that he had a crush on SEIFER?!? Of all people?  
  
"But I don't wanna have a crush on him..." Zell mumbled softly. "Well, maybe I don't maybe I just think I do, but maybe I do too." Irvine had said that you were supposed to know if you were in love but frankly Zell wasn't all that sure at the moment. Sure Seifer wasn't that bad looking and he could be a little nice when he wanted to be, when the other kids weren't around usually. He was really brave too. Zell wished that Irvine was here to help him but at the same time he was glad that he was alone. The other kids might think that there was something wrong with him. Boys were always supposed to like girls weren't they? Well there was that one time that they had all snuck and watched a talk show and there was a boy who loved a boy on that...  
  
"Maybe I do like him." Zell decided at last. Even though he decided that Seifer wouldn't like him back but that was okay because Matron always said that it feels good to love someone, even if they don't love you. Zell popped another one of the spicy red jellybeans into his mouth. He couldn't see Seifer liking him; Seifer seemed like the sort who liked graceful pretty girls. Not skinny noisy boys. But really, that was okay. Seifer didn't have to feel the same way.  
  
"Whaddaya doin' out here?" A voice asked from behind him. "Doncha know that you could get in trouble?" The voice was undoubtedly Seifer's. Zell felt his face get hot again and his stomach got all fluttery.  
  
"I couldn't sleep." Zell said at last. "And you could get in trouble too." Seifer looked thoughtful.  
  
"Yeah. I could." He agreed finally, stealing a few of Zell's green jellybeans. Zell let him have them; he wasn't particularly fond of the green ones. They tasted like mint.  
  
"Why'd you come out here?" Zell asked, hoping that Seifer thought the reason that his cheeks were so rosy was because of the lantern light. "Are you having trouble sleeping too?" Seifer sat some distance away from him and lounged back.  
  
"Nah." Seifer said as if that was the most ridiculous thing that he'd ever heard. "I came out to get some fresh air and I saw your light." Which was partly true. Seifer was having trouble sleeping, but he refused to admit even to himself why.  
  
"Oh." Zell replied quietly. Seifer gave him an odd look.  
  
"You alright? You're usually screaming about something all the time." Seifer said stealing two more of the green jellybeans.  
  
"Am not." Zell returned pouting slightly. "You can have the mint ones and the licorice ones too. I don't like those." He added almost shyly.  
  
"Well licorice is my favorite." Seifer replied instantly, popping the two mints he had in to his mouth before the melted in his hand.  
  
"Why?" Asked Zell making a face and poking the ground with his stick.  
  
"Because everyone else hates it." Seifer answered as if that one explanation was a good enough answer. It seemed like the exact reason that Seifer would like anything: Because everybody else didn't. That's just the way he was. He liked going against the grain.  
  
"Does it always have to be like that though?" Zell asked. "Sometimes it's good to like what everyone likes."  
  
"For some people yeah I guess but not for me." Seifer said. "It's boring when things are always the same." Zell blinked and stared out at the sea.  
  
"Well what about the ocean? It's always been breaking waves on the shore. It was probably just like this a million years ago. I don't think that it's boring out here."  
  
"The ocean changes sometimes. When it storms it rough and windy." Seifer pointed out.  
  
"I miss Quistis." Zell said suddenly.  
  
"Where did that some from?" Seifer asked. Zell concentrated on the mural he was drawing in the sand.  
  
"She got adopted last week remember?" Zell said running fingers through his windswept hair.  
  
"Oh yeah." Seifer murmured.  
  
"But I guess that I shouldn't be sad or anything because she has a family to love her now." Zell decided at last.  
  
"Love is so stupid." Seifer said rolling his eyes.  
  
"What makes you think that?" Zell asked looking up at the older boy suddenly.  
  
"It's just stupid is all. All kinds of love is. Kids always end up hating their parents anyway and swear they're never going to be like them and have a kid them self and it starts all over again." Seifer explained.  
  
"If I get a mom I won't hate her." Zell said passionately.  
  
"And then the other kind of love is some guy goes through a bunch of girls and finds one that's the prettiest and marries her and they probably end up getting divorced anyway." He finished.  
  
"Love isn't always like that." Zell replied drawing his knees to his chest. "Sometimes guys don't even like girls and sometimes girls don't even like guys. Like on that show." Zell regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Seifer blinked at him. "Well I mean, I think that it's stupid that you can't love everyone and that-that a person would hate another person just for being in love." Zell continued rocking back a bit. "Plus, you said you're self that it's not always fun the normal way." Seifer meditated on this.  
  
"Yeah. I guess you have a point." Zell almost smiled at that. Then, feeling especially brave he added:  
  
"And when you fall in love you might like it." There was a long pause that lasted several minutes. Seifer took a few licorice jellybeans and chewed on them thoughtfully.  
  
"Hey," He said suddenly. "Can I ask ya something?" Uh-oh. Zell shifted a bit.  
  
"Um.okay." He said at last, fearing what was to come.  
  
"It didn't freak you out or anything when we kissed did it?" Zell felt like a whole ice cream sandwich had just been crammed down his throat.  
  
"N-not really. No." Zell managed to choke out. "What about you?"  
  
"It was okay." Seifer admitted scowling at Zell. "But don't tell anyone I said that." He added quickly.  
  
"I won't if you won't." The smaller of the two agreed. Another long pause. "I wouldn't mind doing it again though." Zell muttered under his breath, soft enough not to be heard.  
  
"Neither would I actually." Or so he thought. The small blonde cringed, turning redder than ever and making a mental note to break his habit of talking to himself. Zell's eyes snapped up to Seifer's and then darted away again to retrieve the last of the cinnamon jellybeans.  
  
"Don't play around Seifer." He grumbled sullenly around his mouthful of candy. Seifer could be such a big jerk sometimes. Really, the big nasty-  
  
"What makes you think that I'm playing around?" Seifer demanded, evidently exasperated.  
  
"You aren't?" Zell asked, his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"Tsk, no." Zell could feel Seifer rolling his eyes at him. Zell continued to sketch in the sand.  
  
"Oh. Sorry." He said after a brief silence. He heard Seifer moving next to him.  
  
"Would you mind if I...?" He let the rest the question hang in the air.  
  
"W-w-I-uh...n-no." Zell, who was inwardly panicking managed to reply. He began to push the remainder of the jellybeans around on their little wrapper, his gaze dropped even lower than before. He could feel Seifer staring at him, not moving, just staring. Zell began to worry that maybe Seifer had changed his mind or that he really was playing around with him.  
  
As suddenly as he had before, Seifer leaned over and kissed him again. Surprised, Zell sat there with his eyes open for a few moments before allowing them to flutter shut. This time, the kiss was a bit longer than the set time limit of ten seconds. When the two of them pulled apart, Seifer's hand was resting on Zell's shoulder. Zell smiled at him. Not his usual wide and toothy smile that showed off the little fangs he had, but a tiny and almost shy smile. (Though it's kind of hard for anyone to picture Zell being shy...) Before he had the faintest idea what was happening, Seifer was kissing him again. And again. Zell was beginning to loose count and finally gave up on even trying. They kissed one last time and Zell stared blankly off, his ocean blue eyes owlish and un-blinking.  
  
"Hey." Seifer waved a hand in front of his face. "Space case." Zell snapped back into it.  
  
"Sorry." He said grinning sheepishly. "I was thinking." Seifer smirked.  
  
"Did it hurt?" He asked in a teasing voice. Zell made a face at him.  
  
"Do you think that the others would get it?" He asked Seifer. The older boy looked slightly confused.  
  
"Get what?" Zell's face flushed a bit and he looked at his sand art once more.  
  
"You know..." he mumbled. Seifer grinned at Zell but quickly became serious again.  
  
"I don't think so." He stated at last.  
  
"Then I guess that they shouldn't know then." Zell said thoughtfully as he drew a border around his picture.  
  
"Guess not." Seifer echoed. "I wouldn't want them to start thinking that I'm a baby too." He joked.  
  
"Very funny." Said Zell pulling another face. He tugged on Seifer's earlobe and rested his head on his shoulder.  
  
"That's not a bad eye." Noted Seifer, pointing to the eye drawn in the center of the mural.  
  
"Thanks." Zell said smiling. It was then that he decided that maybe licorice wasn't such a bad flavor after all.  
  
Grinning Reaper: Wooooooooooooo...fluuuuuuuuufffffyyyy.....  
  
Zell: Uh-oh. I think that she's gone over the edge.  
  
Irvine: What makes you think that she wasn't already there? Writing fluff just does that sort of thing to her.  
  
Zell: Oh. Well any way. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. The next chapter should be out soon. Bye the way...reviews are a good thing! ::thumbs up:: So yeah...you know what to do.  
  
Irvine: By the way...the authoress and one of her friends actually had a discussion about that flavor jellybeans we'd all be. Seifer was licorice because it may be nasty at first, but it's a flavor that grows on you. Zell was cinnamon because it's spicy.  
  
Zell: HEY!  
  
Irvine: And me? I'm lemon. ::suggestive smile:: So yeah. There's your proof that Grinning Reaper has too much time on her hands.  
  
Grinning Reaper: Fluuuuuufffyyy.. 


	3. Not at All

Disclaimer: ::sigh:: It's what? Chapter three? Four?? You STILL think that I own this??  
  
  
  
Grinning Reaper: WOW! More feedback! Whoo-hoo!  
  
Squall: Why are you encouraging her? WHY???  
  
Zell: Because they love me!  
  
Seifer: No, they love ME!  
  
Zell: no, ME!  
  
Grinning Reaper: Okay, okay, okay! We love you both! Now let's move on shall we?  
  
Chapter Three: Not at all.  
  
  
  
Seifer peeped around a tree. Nope. He wasn't there. He looked on shore near the rock. Still no sign of Zell. Was he at the lighthouse? Naw. In the water? No way. Seifer walked back toward the orphanage. Where would Zell be?? Seifer scratched his head. He wasn't in any of his favorite hiding places, he wasn't at their spot, and he wasn't in his room OR in the kitchen eating. Seifer didn't know where else to look. He decided to cut through the field it was shorter that way. He could ask Matron where Zell was...but then she would want to know why Seifer wanted to know and then he would have to tell her and that would mess things up. Seifer was so busy thinking that he didn't almost see a flaxen colored crest sticking up amongst the tall grass. He stopped.  
  
"Zell?" He cocked his head. What was Zell doing out here? He NEVER went out in the field by himself, not since last summer when Seifer told him that Anacondors liked living in fields anyways.  
  
"What?" The voice of Zell asked sullenly from his hiding spot. Seifer pushed the tall grass aside and found the younger boy with his knees hugged to his chest and his face buried in them.  
  
"Wassa matter? Did Irvine pull your hair again?" Seifer asked kneeling beside him. Zell looked up at him, his eyes ready to spill over at any moment.  
  
"N-no." Zell sniffled, dragging the sleeve of his dark blue sweatshirt across his eyes.  
  
"Then why are you about to cry then?" Seifer asked, somewhat annoyed.  
  
"I am not about to cry." Zell ground out through gritted white teeth.  
  
"Well why are you sad?" Seifer sighed. Zell was silent for a long time. He began to play with the hole in the knee of his thick jeans. Seifer rolled his eyes. Zell was probably upset over some stupid little thing like he always was. He liked Zell but sometimes he could be such a big baby and-  
  
"I'm getting adopted." Zell choked out at last, a tiny tear streaking down his face. "The lady that's adopting me is all the way in Balamb." It suddenly hit Seifer like a ton of...really heavy stuff. Zell + Adopted = No more Zell.  
  
"Oh." Was all he managed to say. Zell burst in to tears.  
  
"I'm gonna miss Matron an' Selphie an' Squall an' Irvine an' I won't get to see you any more an' an' an'..." Zell hiccupped, dragging a palm ferociously across his cheek.  
  
"Hey, hey calm down." Seifer said hesitantly reaching out and petting Zell's blonde hair. "When are you leaving?" He asked.  
  
"Tomorrow!" Zell sobbed. "M-Matron told me after lunch that the lady who was watching us last week was gonna adopt me an' tomorrow I'm gonna take the early train to Balamb to go live with her!" Seifer blinked. This all kind of seemed like a dream. A really bad dream too. Zell sniffled quietly and leaned his head on Seifer's shoulder, all worn out for the moment. There was a long silence again.  
  
"So then..." Seifer began, "This is your last day isn't it?" Zell nodded solemnly as the last tear rolled down his face. With another timid jerk Seifer reached up and wiped the tear off of Zell's face. Zell sniffed again and put more weight on his shoulder.  
  
"'M gonna miss you." The smaller blonde admitted, picking at the hole in his jeans again.  
  
"Yeah well...I might too I guess. Jus' don't read too far in to it or nothin'." Seifer replied at last with a huff. Zell allowed himself a tiny little smile and kissed his cheek.  
  
"Thanks Seifer." He said. Seifer rolled his dark green eyes.  
  
"Yeah well whatever." He answered. Then he realized something: this was it. After a few hours Zell would be gone forever. And he was just getting to know him! It had only been a week since they'd...Seifer shifted and told himself that maybe now wasn't the time to think about that. After all, Zell was just some little kid right? So why did he have a lump in his throat every time he thought about him being gone?? Seifer finally admitted to himself that he did like Zell more than he thought and yeah, he was going to miss him.  
  
"Hey uhm..."Seifer began, his voice sounded usually thick to him. "it's gettin' kinda dark. It'll almost be time for bed soon." Zell nodded in a melancholy manner. Seifer leaned over and gave Zell a quick kiss on the lips. "C'mon." He said setting off toward the orphanage. Zell gave the sleeve to Seifer's gray hooded sweatshirt a little tug. Seifer turned. "Hm?"  
  
"Since it's my last night could I uhm..." Zell fidgeted and looked down. "I mean...that is...couldIstaywithyou?"  
  
"Yeah okay." Seifer said at last.  
  
"Th-thanks." Zell, who was blushing terribly, replied. Seifer grinned as they began to walk once more to the indoors.  
  
"Really I'm not sleepy." Zell insisted for the fifth time as he rubbed an eye with his fist.  
  
"Yeah ya are." Seifer argued, rolling his eyes. "You don't have to say up ya know."  
  
"But it's my last day here." Insisted Zell snuggling up closer.  
  
"What do I look like!?! A pillow!?!" Seifer asked indignantly.  
  
"Well you're using the only one." The smaller blonde replied. Seifer clucked his tongue and rolled his eyes again.  
  
"Fine. You know that I'm only letting you get away with this because it's your last night here."  
  
"Yeah, yeah I know..." Zell yawned.  
  
As the night wore on the two of them talked quietly and even laughed a few times. Seifer realized that his time with Zell was getting shorter and shorter. As Zell was in the middle of his explanation as to why he thought Tonberries were cool, Seifer kissed him again.  
  
"What was that for?" Asked Zell, a bit perplexed.  
  
"Nothin'." Seifer said with a shrug. Zell blinked a few times.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"What time do you think it is?" Seifer asked. Zell thought for a while.  
  
"It feels like it's really early." He yawned. Then the smaller blonde looked out the window. "The sun's coming up. I think that it's almost time for me to go." He said sadly. Seifer was silent. For what seemed like an eternity, the two of them lay together in perfect quiet. Then after a little while there was a soft knock on the door and Matron's voice called Zell's name. Zell dressed slowly and said his goodbyes to Seifer. Then kissing him one last time he disappeared through the doorframe.  
  
(He's just some stupid kid.) Seifer thought to himself as he heard the car backing out of the driveway. (That's all. Some stupid immature kid. He can go ahead and leave. I don't care.) He told himself over and over as the minutes turned into hours, the hours in to days, the days into weeks and the weeks into months and the months in to years.  
  
(I don't care. Not at all.) 


	4. Second Chances

Disclaimer: I've run out of funny ways to say that I don't own this.  
  
Grinning Reaper: WOW! 20 whole reviews!! The encouragement continues!! Yay!!  
  
Squall: To all of those who have reviewed...I hate you.....  
  
Seifer: Yeah well this chapter has a special dedication because it's Cliffe's birthday...or at least it was....  
  
Zell: Happy birthday Cliffe!  
  
Selphie: Heyy! It's my birthday in this chapter too!  
  
Grinning Reaper: Coincidence? I think not!  
  
Squall: Can we go ahead and get started?  
  
Grinning Reaper: Lemme think about that...no. First I want to thank everyone who reviewed this. You all mean a lot to me because that tells me that my writing isn't *complete* trash.  
  
Squall: I wouldn't go and say all that now....  
  
Grinning Reaper: ::punches Squall into oblivion:: Okay. We can get started now.  
Chapter Four: Second Chances  
"/Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Selphie! Happy Birthday to you!/" Quistis, Irvine, Rinoa, Zell, Nida, Xu, and even Squall sang.  
  
"Annnnnd maaaaaaaannny moooooooore!" Nida added with a grin. Selphie giggled and blew out her 18 candles. The happy group had spent the day at the beach in Balamb and had even gotten hotel rooms to stay in for the night. Currently, dusk had fallen and they were having a bonfire.  
  
"So what's it feel like to be 18 finally?" Quistis asked the short brunette. Selphie thought for a moment.  
  
"Really cool!" She said jumping in the air. Everyone laughed.  
  
"So, feel like opening your presents birthday girl?" Irvine asked handing Selphie a square package wrapped in pink with a Cactuar ribbon. Presents were opened, cake was eaten, weenies were roasted and marshmallows were tragically burnt. Zell never *could* get the hang of making s'mores. Speaking of whom, the short blonde was currently sitting beside the fire, staring into the flames.  
  
"Hey Zelly?" Selphie began, leaning over and shaking the shadow boxer's shoulder lightly. "Something the matter?" Zell blinked his blue eyes.  
  
"Huh? Oh. Nah, everything's cool." He said grinning his fanged grin. There was something familiar about this day...something for some reason reminded him of lantern light, birthday jellybeans, truth or dare and romance. He took a sip of his root beer and thought on it. He wasn't particularly fond of root beer, the flavor reminded him of licorice, but that was also the exact same reason that he drank it. Something about the licorice taste made the back of his brain tingle and his lips twitch into an almost half smile.  
  
"You sure?" Selphie persisted. She wasn't used to seeing Zell who was normally noisy and rambunctious so quiet. She wondered if it was because of that girl with the pigtail that was in the library. But really, Zell hadn't been talking about her that much. Not at all actually, the other day she seemed upset when Zell said that he didn't want to hang out with her. It was odd. The one girl Selphie had actually seen Zell take something of a small interest in, her friend suddenly goes and drops. Zell nodded in a vacant sort of manner, his eyes set far away on something and he took another sip of his root beer.  
  
"Okay well we're going in to the hotel now. You wanna come?" Selphie fidgeted, slightly unnerved. Zell looked directly at her for the first time since she had come over to him.  
  
"Nah, that's okay. I think I wanna sit out here for a while. Thanks though." Zell replied smiling. Selphie said that was okay and then left to catch up with her departing friends.  
  
"Zell's been actin' funny." She said as Irvine wrapped an arm around her shoulder.  
  
"He had a little to drink." Quistis replied. "He's....different when he has alcohol. He does some pretty funny things actually."  
  
"He had a crush on me once." Squall said suddenly. "When he was 16 he said." Rinoa blinked. "He told me that when he had been drinking....heh." The brunette added, attempting a laugh.  
  
"He doesn't still does he?" She asked scowling. Squall shook his head.  
  
"Zell's gay?" Irvine looked slightly confused.  
  
"Bi actually...I think." Quistis interjected. Irvine shrugged underneath his heavy coat.  
  
"Makes sense now that I think of it. I thought I saw him staring at my ass when we were on that train." Squall blinked.  
  
"I don't think you're his type." Rinoa made a face.  
  
"Guys why are we talking about this? It's gross. Can we talk about something else?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah sure." Selphie said shooting Quistis and Xu a look. They both seemed considerably more solemn since Rinoa's remark.  
  
Zell tipped his head back and took in a deep breath. A brisk wind blew in his face and his loose flaxen locks tickled his cheeks. He grinned.  
  
"What a great day." He murmured. He swam; played volleyball (his team kicked everyone's ass!) ate, laughed, helped Irvine and Selphie throw Squall off the pier, ate, danced and ate. He stood and brushed off his long khaki shorts. He began walking, not headed in any particular direction, just walking. It was nice to walk. It helped him think. He knew what he was partly remembering was from one of Selphie's birthdays. He could remember that much. Slowly, images and voices started to creep out of the fog. Zell, who had made it back to the fire, sat down with a thunk suddenly.  
  
"Wow." He whispered. Then he said louder: "I can't believe Irvine!" Where upon he made a resolution to himself to do something really nasty to the cowboy later.  
  
"Well, look who it is." Leered a voice from behind. Zell's eyes widened. He recognized the voice.  
  
"Seifer??" He asked, glad that his voice didn't shake from surprise. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Fujin, Raijin, and I fish here." He replied. Zell nodded. "What about you?" The blonde picked at the sleeve of his dusty blue hoodie.  
  
"It's Sleph's birthday." He answered.  
  
"Yeah I know that." Seifer replied. "So the party was here huh?" Zell nodded again.  
  
"Why are you here?" He asked. Seifer clucked his tongue.  
  
"I told you, Fuujin, Raijin, and I fish here." Seifer said irritably.  
  
"No I mean why are you talking to me?" Zell explained. Seifer glared down at the younger boy staring up at him.  
  
"I wouldn't have even come over here if I hadn't seen the fire light. I just wanted to see who it was. Tell Selphie I said happy birthday Chicken- wuss." Seifer spat bitterly. He turned on heel and began to go.  
  
"Yo, uh...wait." Zell called half-heartedly. Seifer stopped without turning. "You...want some root beer?" Zell automatically berated himself for asking such a stupid question. Seifer would laugh. Seifer would call him a Chicken-wuss like he always did.  
  
"Yeah alright." The tall blonde said without thinking. He walked over slowly and took the root beer from the martial artist's out-stretched hand. He took a sip.  
  
"So...how are ... ... ... things? Zell asked clearing his throat. He was feeling awkward. He was feeling nervous. It was all Seifer's fault. Big stupid Seifer.  
  
"Okay I guess. Why you ask?" Seifer replied. Zell shrugged nonchalantly.  
  
"Dunno." He replied. He almost wanted to hear Seifer say that things were going bad. That he missed everyone.  
  
"What about you Chicken-wuss?" Seifer asked at last. Zell stared into the can of empty root beer.  
  
"Yeah it's okay I guess. They party tonight was really fun." He said absently. Seifer gazed off into the distance for a while, his dark and cold green eyes stared off at the shoreline, or maybe just past the shoreline at some secret thing that Zell couldn't see.  
  
"Hey....do you remember when we used to have parties for each other in the orphanage?" Zell swallowed and felt his pulse pounding in the hollow of his throat.  
  
"Yeah. Yeah I do. They were really fun huh?" He said his eyes searched the horizon frantically, trying to find a cloud or a shadow or a star. Something *anything* that he could pinpoint his attention on so he wouldn't be tempted to look at the tall lanky frame sitting in the sand next to him.  
  
Seifer carefully watched the boxer sitting next to him. So Zell remembered then. Was that why he was acting so uncomfortable? Usually by this point Zell would be lashing out at him in both the verbal and physical sense. Seifer had given him ample opportunities. Was Zell acting this way because he was embarrassed and ashamed or because he was nervous and anxious? Seifer grinned. Chicken-wuss could be such a dork sometimes. But this was in a very cute way of course. Well maybe not...but then again maybe so also. Seifer growled softly. He wasn't used to being so confused. Maybe this was why he got so mad at Zell sometimes. He was so damn confusing! What with his angry pout/glares and his heart wrenching smiles and how he could go from jovial and cheerful to hopping mad in 2.5 seconds. Maybe that was also what was so appealing about him as well. The confusion. It gave Seifer a challenge. Or at least he was an amusing hobby to pass the time with.  
  
"Yeah, you remember that one time we played truth or dare?" Seifer asked, his voice didn't shake, he didn't stutter. Zell didn't see how he pulled it off. Zell nodded, too shaken up to do anything else. Seifer was going to kill him! "Yeah. I do too." Seifer said after Zell's non-verbal response. Seifer took another sip of root beer. There was a silence.  
  
"What? You embarrassed or something Chicken-wuss?" Seifer asked with a slight snicker of amusement. Zell's brows furrow.  
  
"Shut up...ass." He muttered. Seifer suddenly threw his head back and laughed. Zell looked at him, startled.  
  
(I didn't realize how sad he looked until he laughed just now.) He thought unconsciously. The next thing that registered in his mind was that Seifer was kissing him. What shocked Zell further was that he had wrapped and arm around Seifer's neck and was responding. So wait, why was this happening? And further more, if Seifer didn't like him as much as he always said he did, then why was he doing this? Or had they both just been fooling themselves about their REAL feelings in that cliché romantic-comedy-that- Selphie-and-Rinoa-always-watched sort of way? Or maybe could there be a reason behind this madness?  
  
(Shut up brain. Ask questions later.) Zell told his sub-conscious as Seifer wrapped his arm around his waist. And for once, his sub-conscious listened.  
Grinning Reaper: AHAHAHAHAHAH!!! ::falls over laughing:: THAT WAS GREAT!!!! ROOT BEER!!! THAT WAS SO GREAT!!!  
  
Everyone else: ...  
  
Seifer: Dear God we've all been damned.  
  
(Review?? Thankees much!) 


	5. Waking Up Sandy

Disclaimer: Yer mom.  
  
Grinning Reaper: Ah, at last, an update.  
  
Squall: YOU DAMNED REVEIWERS!! I HATE YOU!! I HATE YOU ALL!! DIE!!!  
  
Grinning Reaper: And that concludes the experiment as to why you shouldn't give already high-strung people caffeine.  
  
Zell: Grinning Reaper was going to make a lemon chapter but she lost her nerve at the last second.  
  
Seifer: And you all thought Zell was a Chicken-wuss.  
  
Zell: Heyyy...  
  
Squall: I can see through time...  
  
Grinning Reaper: Ehhhch.uhm.maybe we should skip to the Fic...oh yeah! Shameless plug: GO READ CHICKEN-WUSS BY THEBLACKRAVENESS IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!! IT'S SO GRAND!! Also, a special thanks to all my wonderful reviewers: You're all great and you make me feel so nice because you care enough to review. (Even that one guy who flamed me ^-^)  
  
Chapter Five: Waking up Sandy  
  
Zell's eyes opened slowly and almost painfully. The sun was shining in them. With a grumble and a groan he rolled over and buried his face in the warm naked shoulder next to him. ... ... ...  
  
Wait. Why was there a warm naked shoulder... Zell opened his eyes as memories of last night suddenly came rushing back to him. He blinked in surprise.  
  
"Oh yeah." He said aloud. The form of Seifer stirred at the sudden noise but quickly returned to his state of dreaming. Zell clapped an open palm over his mouth and immediately winced. He hurt ALL OVER. But that would answer his second question: Why was he covered in sand? He grinned fangedly (a/n: I think I just made up a word...) and pulled the thick blanket over his shoulder, snuggling closer and yawning. Eventually he drifted away on the tides of sleep in to a sea of dreams...  
  
It was some time later when Seifer woke. It was around ten o'clock. The sun was shining...the birds were singing...Zell was softly snoring. The taller boy grinned. At the moment, Zell looked like he was about twelve. The crest in his hair literally added years on him.  
  
He was lying on his back his lips parted and one sharp white canine poking from his upper lip. Seifer smirked (he does that a lot you know.) and stretched, he suddenly a mischievous grin curled around his mouth. He reached out and skimmed the back of Zell's neck with his fingertips. (A/N: I hate it when people do that to me while I'm sleeping) The blonde wriggled and mumbled in an irate manner, pulling the blanket over his head. Seifer chuckled and poked the Zell-sized lump in the side. A head full of rumpled blonde hair appeared from the dark blue blankets.  
  
"D'you mind?" He yawned sleepily. Seifer propped himself up on his elbows, looking quite pleased with himself.  
  
"No." Was the simple response. Pouting in what Seifer was sure Zell thought was an angry manner, Zell sat up and leaned heavily against the older boy.  
  
"Yer mean." Zell casually informed him, rubbing a blue eye with his fist. Seifer ruffled the bright blonde locks.  
  
"Yeah and you like it that way." He teased. Zell grinned in a sleepy almost goofy manner and yawned again, spreading his mouth big and wide.  
  
"There's sand in your bed." Zell said suddenly his cerulean eyes twinkling. Seifer shrugged his narrow shoulders.  
  
"I know."  
  
"You'll prolly have to clean it up sooner or later."  
  
"It was worth it."  
  
"Mm." Zell buried his face in the crook of Seifer's neck and let his eyes flutter shut. His eyelashes tickled.  
  
"Hey don't go to sleep again." The older boy said, biting Zell's shoulder. The martial artist jumped slightly and looked indignant. Well, as indignant as one can look when they're naked.  
  
"What was that for?" He asked rubbing his bitten shoulder. Seifer leaned in close and smirked again.  
  
"Nothing." He replied before giving Zell another one of those tongue tangling spit swapping knockout kisses that he was so good at giving. It wasn't until several minutes later that Fujin and Raijin decided to ruin the moment.  
  
"RAIJIN. BREAKFAST. NOW." The smaller member of the posse's voice rang through out small flat.  
  
"I'm going as fast as I can ya know." Raijin objected from the kitchen.  
  
"RAGE." There was a whack.  
  
"Owwwoww." Evidently Raijin had just been kicked in the shin. Quite hard from the sound of things.  
  
"You live with them?" Zell asked sounding surprised. Seifer nodded.  
  
"Well yeah. That bad?" Zell shook his head.  
  
"Nah, it's just kinda a shock when we're....and then they..." Seifer laughed again.  
  
"Yeah I would see what you mean. They'd be cool with this though. I just need time to tell them and all." Zell grinned fangedly again.  
  
"Cool." He looked at the clock. Ten thirty. "Aw man!" He cried jumping out of bed and hurriedly (but soredly.) throwing on his clothes. "I bet the others are wondering where I am! Shit..."  
  
"Run, run, run as fast as you can." Seifer said with another smirk. "Now aren't you glad that I woke you up?" Zell pulled his shirt over his head and combed a hand through his hair.  
  
"Yeah." He replied slipping on his sneakers. "I'll be back on..." he pauses and thinks for a moment. "Tuesday okay?" He asks, tying the laces.  
  
"Yeah alright." Seifer returned, stretching again. Zell nodded and gave the taller blonde a quick kiss before opening his window and hopping out. Seifer grinned, very pleased with himself. He went through his entire day wearing that almost drugged glazed look. Fujin and Raijin said nothing about it. However they did say something about the suspicious marks on his neck. Seifer didn't care. That was part of the fun of waking up sandy.  
  
Grinning Reaper: Bweheeheehee...fluff strikes again!!  
  
Seifer: ::snarl::  
  
Grinning Reaper: See now wasn't that better than just any ol' lemon?  
  
Seifer: ::snarl::  
  
Grinning Reaper: Hm.well I take it you like lemons better. Ah well, such is life. Read and review please! 


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